


Hung Out to Dry

by HinnyBellarkeSwan



Series: What the Heart Wants [4]
Category: Blue Bloods (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Light Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-08
Updated: 2020-04-08
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:41:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23541013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HinnyBellarkeSwan/pseuds/HinnyBellarkeSwan
Summary: AU of 6x06. Jamie is in a tricky situation, stuck between a rock and a hard place. Thank goodness for his girlfriend.
Relationships: Danny Reagan & Jamie Reagan, Edit "Eddie" Janko/Jamie Reagan, Frank Reagan & Jamie Reagan
Series: What the Heart Wants [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1688077
Kudos: 17





	Hung Out to Dry

It was a decent spring day, but rather than be able to enjoy it, Jamie and Mandalo found themselves working crowd control outside 1PP during yet another one of Reverend Potter’s protests. 

Jamie had to hand it to the man, he had dedication and persistence, but he was also incredibly obnoxious for a Reverend. Most likely because he fancies himself another Martin Luther King, Jr. or something. Either way, Jamie hated these sort of details, and he wasn’t alone. Most of the NYPD was rather tired of Potter and his cronies, all of whom seemed to be out in full force today. 

So, here they stood, in front of a barricade, facing an angry mass of people. Jamie sighed, and it was mirrored by his partner. “I thought they were supposed to stay on the walkways?” Mandalo gestured around them, while glaring at the horde in the street. “They are, but they are looking for trouble. And headlines. The right to protest Jimmy is as American as apple pie and bitchin’ about taxes.” He tried hard to reign in his chuckle, but some of it tinted his words, making his partner snort. 

“But we’re not the bad guys.” 

“Your preaching to the choir. So is Reverend Potter.” The crowd continued to advance, and another of Potter’s cronies opened his mouth and turned on his bullhorn at Potter’s side. “Who’s the other guy with the bullhorn?” Jamie snorted, “That’s Jerry Guerra, Civil Rights attorney. He’s suing the NYPD in half a dozen cases. Not a favorite of the Commissioners.” 

Mandalo huffed, just as the crowd got to close for comfort. Jamie sighed, but started doing his job. “Your people need to be over on the walkways Reverend.” Of course it was never that easy. Guerra, always trying to play hero, chimed in. “Uh officer, we have permits.” 

“Not to block a government plaza. These cars need to move in case of an emergency.” Mandalo let out another sigh and started trying to heard some of the protestors behind barricades. “Come on folks, behind the barricade please.” The crowd started to rumble and despite the bad feeling in his gut Jamie didn’t stop his partner. “Back up! Get behind the barricade!” Other officers along the line were following his and Jimmy’s lead, but it turned violent quick. Pushing and shoving started, shouting amidst Mandalo’s continued warnings rose. 

As the altercation got worse, Potter demanded someone start recording and a dozen phones, at least, appeared in the air. Angry protestors started yelling at him and the rest of the cops about rights and Jamie huffed, then he caught sight of a woman and her son approaching the front of the protest and did his best to protect the little boy from the tempest that was rising. 

“Ma’am you can’t be here right now, you need to be behind the barricades.”

“I wanna join the group.” 

“This is a government plaza, you guys have to be back…” she tried to protest but he kept going. “Back behind the barricades.” From there it all went downhill quickly. He was still trying to argue with the mother when he caught sight of a fast approaching biker. He tried to stop the man, but before he could the bike was to close, so he grabbed the handle bar and the rider fell, his helmet coming off in the crash. 

He didn’t get up right away either, so Jamie ran to his side, kneeling trying to get a response. He forgot about all the phones in the air, recording him, trying to make sure the civilian was okay. When he continued to be unresponsive he asked another officer to call a bus, and then the crowd, and Potter, got involved. They accused him of flipping the guy off his bike for no reason, and when Mandalo showed up, he couldn’t defend him either because he had been on the other side of the crowd. 

Guerra pulled out a notebook and asked for a badge number and a name and Jamie realized he was about to make his father’s life a whole lot harder. “Reagan? That’s your name? You’re a Reagan?” He could almost see the lightbulb going off over Guerra’s head and Jamie could only shake his head and look back down at the still unresponsive civilian. 

As he suspected, a few hours later, there was a press conference and Potter and Guerra were calling for an investigation, accusing his family of being a crime syndicate, and Danny’s complaints were drawn into it as well. He had no doubt his father had already seen it, that Garrett and Gormley had seen it. He didn’t know what to expect, but he knew something was coming. 

**

Sure enough, forty-five minutes after the press conference he was put on modified assignment. He could see that it was leaving a sour taste in his CO’s mouth to do it, but the order had come from on high. His father and his office had seen it alright. 

He was sent home with a warning that he would be on eight hour tours and the video monitors until the investigation was through. To make the slight that much worse, Mandalo had been left out of the whole thing. It was squarely on Jamie’s shoulders. 

Jamie was just pulling up in front of his building a little while later when he caught sight of the silver Porsche parked a little ways up the block. He sighed, no doubt Eddie had seen it and was coming to make sure he was okay. He left his car and headed for his apartment, wanting nothing more than to crawl into bed and hope that the nightmare was over when he woke up. 

He kicked his door open to find his tv on low, food set out on his counter and his girlfriend nodding into her phone as she moved around the kitchen. “I know that. Come on, of course I do.” Her eyes rolled at whoever was on the other end and then she caught sight of him and she sent him a small smile, one that he for once couldn’t return. Her smile was replaced by a frown and the guilty feeling in his gut got bigger. 

“Look, Welch I have to go, I will call you later okay?” 

A few seconds later, she hung up with her partner and he turned to face her again after shrugging out of his light jacket and dropping his go bag on the floor. Eddie didn’t say anything, she just held open her arms in silent offer. That offer he could take, so he strode across the floor and sunk into her hold. A world weary sigh leaving him as he did. 

“If you don’t want to talk about it we won’t Jamie. I’m here though, if you want to.” He nodded against her, but remained silent, trying to relax by breathing in her scent and relishing the feeling of her arms around him. 

“I’m on modified until IAB and the DA’s office finish their investigations.” Eddie leaned back, looking up at him in surprise. “Seriously?” 

“Yup. Apparently the video evidence is unclear about what happened. They have their version, I have mine, and IAB is investigating.” She sighed with him. “Damn Jamie, I’m sorry. I saw it. It didn’t look that bad. Where the hell was Mandalo?” 

“Other side of the crowd. He got sucked that way when the tension first started rising. The other officers didn’t see what happened either. We were all trying to deal with crowd control and protestors being where they shouldn’t. He feels bad but he can’t lie to IAB. I wouldn’t want him to lie to IAB.” 

He lead them both over to his couch and he sank onto it. Eddie followed him down, settling herself in next to him, with her legs over his lap and her hand combing through his hair. “How long do you think till this is all over?” 

“I have no idea Ed. Part of me wants to go to my dad with my side of the story, but I know how he is. Part of me wants to just go to sleep and pray this was a bad nightmare. The rest of me is just pissed. I did my job and I’m being punished for it.” 

“So go to your dad. The worst thing he can say is nothing right? If it will make you feel better you go after we eat dinner which has ten minutes left in the oven.” 

“Dinner?” He had wondered what the smell was. What all the ingredients scattered about had been for. “Yup. My mom’s lasagna, aka the only thing I can cook.” That earned a small chuckle, and he thankfully leaned up to place a kiss on her cheek. “Thanks Ed.” 

She leaned her forehead against his. “Of course Jamie. I’m always here for you, you know that right?” He nodded, grateful that he would always have her in his corner at least. The last year or so with her had been great, and he knew, more and more so every day, that he never wanted to let her go. 

So, he took her advice. He ate the meal she made, helped her with the clean-up and then headed for Bay Ridge, because he at least had to try. 

*** 

Eddie made a dive for her phone that had already rung through once as she exited the bathroom into her bedroom. She clutched her towel around her and answered panting, “Janko.” 

“Eddie?” She huffed. “Danny? What the hell’s going on? Why did you call twice?” She felt her heart start pounding, hoping something else hadn’t gone wrong. Jamie didn’t need that right now. “Nothing’s wrong. I’m asking you because he won’t talk to me. How’s he holding up?” 

Eddie sighed. “How do you think Danny? He even went to your dad and got nothing but the policy line. He’s upset and he feels like no one has his back. And the one person who absolutely should’ve was on the other side of the crowd so he can’t do shit either.” 

Danny sighed. “Dad wouldn’t hear him out huh?” Eddie’s sigh mirrored his. “Yeah, and I’m the idiot that encouraged him to try on that front.” 

“Not your fault, Dad’s always like that with us. He tell you anything else about what happened?” 

“Not really. He’s upset enough I didn’t want to drag it out of him. He called this morning to tell me how it went with the Commissioner and he sounded resigned and upset. Said something about getting some study guide and making this time work for him but that was about all he had to say.” 

“Well his life is about to get a lot harder.” Eddie felt her forehead wrinkle. “What the hell? Why?” 

“A woman’s case fell to Baez and I. She’s accusing Guerra of rape. We went to his hotel room to search it, with a warrant, and found roofies and other things to corroborate her story. The guy is fighting it hard. This is gonna leak and its gonna get ugly. I know how this looks. Hell Guerra told us how it looks when we arrested him.”

She sighed. “Great, this is going to make it worse.” Danny sighed back. “I didn’t ask for this case Janko. Just… make sure he gets through this alright? I got the feeling he’s not gonna wanna talk to any of us right now.” 

“I will.” 

With that Danny hung up and she sunk back onto her bed. How the hell she was going to fix this, she didn’t know, but she was going to try. She knew how much Jamie loved his job, how much he respected his father and the rules. He would never do what they were accusing him of. She knew that with her whole heart. That was probably why this whole thing was so hard. Her Jamie was the boy scout, the one who could probably quote half the patrol guide, at least, from memory. 

What Eddie didn’t know was how to help him. He felt like he was being hung out to dry and she couldn’t blame him. His father was treating this like any other officer and not listening to his son, which she both understood and didn’t. Now this whole thing with Danny’s case was going to be like throwing a Molotov cocktail into a gasoline fire- very, very bad. 

She rushed around getting dressed and trying to find something she could say to him later when there was a knock on her door. She finished dancing into her jeans and did up the button before running to her door. She was panting as she opened it and came face to face with Nicky Reagan. 

“Nicky?” 

“Hi, sorry to just drop in like this.” Eddie shook her head, opening her door wider. “Is something wrong?” The younger girl shook her head. “Well, not wrong with me anyway. I saw what was going on, and I saw this.” She opened her phone to a headline about Guerra. Eddie sighed for what felt like the millionth time that day and sunk onto her couch. She patted the seat next to her and Niki sunk into it. 

“How’s uncle Jamie?” 

“He’s pretty unhappy but he knows he has to go along with this investigation, so he is. He texted earlier, seems like his partner got called in but the guy couldn’t say much to help. Between that and your uncle Danny catching this Guerra thing, it’s gonna be a rough next few days.” 

Nicky huffed. “Reverend Potter has had it out for my family for a long time. Grandpa doesn’t have nice things to say about the other guy either. I don’t get why everyone has to make the police the bad guys.” 

“I don’t either Nicky. The new camera phone has done a lot of good but also a lot of bad. We are just going to have to do our best to be here for your uncle and show him we support him. That’s what he’s going to need right now.”

Nicky nodded. “I’m so glad he has you Eddie. Uncle Jamie has never been good at asking for help even when we all know he needs it.” Eddie chuckled. “He is stubborn, I think it’s a Reagan trait.” The younger nodded profusely. “Oh, it so is.” They both laughed sharing knowing looks. 

Then Eddie’s phone beeped. 

J: Hey Ed. Got a call. Investigation wants to talk to me tomorrow. Said I should bring a lawyer.

Eddie sighed. The bring a lawyer bit was off putting. She didn’t know why they would say that, besides that they were already agreeing to blame him and this was a formality. She hoped and prayed fervently that this was not that. 

E: You wanna stay with me tonight? We can watch movies and forget about it? 

J: Yeah Ed. I think that would be nice. 

His response gave her an idea. “Hey Nicky, do you have anything planned for tonight?” The girl shook her head, “not that I can’t postpone, why?” 

“Because we are going to be your uncle’s cheer-up squad tonight. Some movies, junk food and two of his favorite girls outta make him feel better right?” A bright smile slipped over Nicky’s face and she nodded profusely in agreement. 

Both of them then bowed their heads and began planning. They had a few hours to prepare before Jamie got here, and when he did, she wanted him to be surprised and for this night to be fun and relaxing. 

*** 

By the time Jamie reached Eddie’s apartment, all he wanted was to kiss his girlfriend and forget the rest of the world existed for a while. He had spent a few hours with his union rep and lawyer, going over tomorrow. He hadn’t heard from his dad since he had gone to see him two days ago, and he hadn’t heard from anyone else named Reagan either. 

He had seen the bit about Danny in the article on Guerra’s arrest and figured he felt guilty. It wasn’t his fault, Jamie knew that. He had also seen the late afternoon press rally with Guerra and Potter and figured his dad and Danny both had enough on their plates that he didn’t want to add to. Hell, he was the root of their problems at the moment and it was a shitty place to be. 

He slid his key into Eddie’s lock, when he registered the slight beat through the door. He was curious as to why Eddie had the music that loud when she was by herself. He smirked to himself remembering another night where he had snuck up on her and found her dancing around her kitchen with the music blaring. Maybe this was another one of those nights. If it was, it would surely make him smile, because his girlfriend was adorable.

So he pushed the door open and came face to face with not only Eddie dancing around her apartment, but his niece to. He felt his smile stretch over his face, even though he was confused about Nicky's presence. 

The girls were dancing around, belting out the lyrics to ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’ and obviously preparing something. He quietly dropped his go bag and just leaned against the post by her door, watching them with a gentle, most likely sappy, smile on his face. 

His niece was the first to catch sight of him a few moments later and she laughed before dancing over to him. “Hi Uncle Jamie!” She threw herself at him like she used to do when she was little and he caught her easily. “Hey Nicky. What are you doing here?” 

She wrinkled her nose at him in mock confusion. “What, I can’t hang out with Eddie without you?” Eddie appeared behind Nicky and both women put their hands on their hips jokingly. He held his hands up in his own mock surrender before placing a kiss to each cheek. “Alright, no questions, got it.” 

Both of them laughed before Eddie rose on her tiptoes to place a light kiss to his lips. He caught her around the waist, loving their height difference when she was without her heeled shoes. He placed a slightly deeper kiss to her lips but pulled away soon enough, cognizant of his niece. 

“So what are you two up to?” His arms were still wrapped around Eddie’s waist and Nicky and his girlfriend both laughed. “Movie night silly. I told you that earlier. The pizza should be here in a few and Nicky and I made snickerdoodles.” 

That explained the sugary smell and his stomach rumbled despite himself. “Hey, aren’t you usually the one mocking me about always being hungry?” He chuckled, “yeah well, it’s been quite the day and it smells good in here, can you blame me?” They both shook their heads and Nicky brought forth the plate of cookies. 

He snagged one and munched on it as Eddie gently wiggled out of his hold and went back to moving about her apartment, though she did turn the music down slightly. Nicky pushed him onto the couch and mock sternly told him to sit and relax, so he did as he was told. 

A few moments later Eddie had placed a beer in his hand, a kiss to his cheek and was back in the kitchen digging out napkins and paper plates. A knock on the door announced their meal and Eddie handed his niece the cash to cover it. Soon the smell of pizza joined the aroma of cookies and Jamie felt some of the tension of the week slide out of his shoulders. He could relax here, in the presence of his two girls, so he did. 

He ate and laughed, caught up with Nicky about her first semester of college, listened to Eddie’s joking gripes about Welch, settled in to watch movies and just forgot for the moment that his job was on the line. 

**

The meeting with the DA’s lawyers and his union represented lawyer went about as smoothly as he thought it would- like chunky peanut butter. 

No one in this whole mess was willing to listen to his side. The video that IAB and the DA had was edited to only show the moment when Jamie intervened with the bicyclist, not the moments before when he had been dealing with the mother and child that no one claims to have seen, making him look like he was just covering his own ass. 

By the time Sunday rolled around Jamie had no desire to get out of bed, let alone sit through mass and then dinner with is father and his brother, both of whom were likely to ask questions. Not to mention he knew his grandfather would have the desire to add in his own two cents and that was always a great way to set off Erin.

Thankfully, Eddie had been invited to Sunday dinner whenever she wanted and she didn’t work that day, so he was seeing her for the first time since their movie night with his niece a few days ago. That night had been a blip of peace and joy in an otherwise long and draining week, one that was apparently going to drag out into the next week. 

The fact that she could be there was the only thing that got him out of bed. He threw on one of his nicer pairs of jeans and his favorite grey sweater, tossed a sports coat over his shoulder and was out the door in just enough time to make it to mass in his own car. He had no desire to sit through a ride in the lights and sirens with his father today anyway. Not after the week he had been having, with nearly no help from on high. 

Jamie made sure to sit as far away from his father and grandfather in church as he could, and Linda, bless her heart, seemed to have caught on to his mood so she sat him between Sean and Nicky. His niece simply pecked his cheek and began rifling through their service program. His nephews both gave him high five’s in greeting and he fell into a quiet conversation about Mario Kart until the service began. 

Afterwards, he made the few cursory rounds before sharing a look with Linda and mouthing, Eddie, which allowed him to slip out of church without having said more than a hello to his father. That fact had him feeling guilty on his drive over to Eddie’s place, but the guilt was fighting the anger he still felt coursing through his system so he was quite the mess of emotions when he pulled up in front of her place. He parked the car and checked his phone, chuckling when he saw the message from her. 

E: Adding the finishing touches! Come up when you get here!

He followed her instructions, letting himself into her building and climbing the stairs to her apartment. When he reached her door, he tested it and found it open so he had no need for the key he had on his keyring. Instead, he pushed the door open, calling out in greeting. “Ed?” 

“Be out in a second!” He chuckled and stood in her living room, waiting on her to come out. While he did, his phone once again chimed. 

N: Aunt Linda says Eddie’s coming. I’ll put her chair out. 

J: Thanks Nicky. 

N: Sure thing! Oh! Ask her if she has any cookies left and if she does ask her if she can bring them! They were sooo good!

He chuckled at his niece, who in that moment sounded like the woman on the other side of the bathroom door. The door that was just opening. He glanced up from his phone, but felt his head jerk back up when her outfit registered. Eddie looked amazing. She was in the process of pulling on a sheer white coat thing with red flowers, over a white tank top that was tucked into one of her rarely worn but incredible for her skirts. Her long legs were on display, tucked into a pair of ankle boots, and her hair was down in the signature waves he loved. 

He knew he was staring but he couldn’t help it. “Hey lambchop.” Her smirk turned to a look of confusion when she caught on to all his staring. “Jamie?” He shook his head before making a quip. “Well, I feel underdressed.” 

Eddie frowned. “Is this to much? I can…” He cut her off by stepping forward and catching her around the waist. “No Ed. You look beautiful. Really.” He pressed a kiss to her lips, and felt her relax against him as he did. Her arms slid around his neck and he drew her closer, his hands linking at the base of her back. 

A few moments later she pulled away from him and ran her hands over his chest. “You don’t look so bad yourself Reagan.” He chuckled, placing a kiss to her forehead and breathing out, content to just hold her for a few minutes. 

Then he remembered Niki’s request and chuckled, earning him a confused glance. “Nicky wants to know if there is any Snickerdoodles left, and if there are, requests that we bring them.” Eddie chuckled. “I have a few, I’ll toss ‘em in a bag for her. I remember how much I loved home-cooked treats when I was living in the dorms.” 

“Oh yeah, I used to love getting care packages from my mom. She would fill it with homemade treats and once or twice she even sent me home cooked bread. Those were the weeks I guessed she was really bored, or later, feeling really well.” 

Eddie laughed as she moved around her kitchen, putting the aforementioned cookies in a bag. “My mom was not one to cook, the Lasagna is really a one off that she learned from her mother-in-law. Her care packages would include shoes or jewelry. It was our cook, Lola, who sent the food and god did she make a mean cookie. I mean any kind of cookie, from the most basic to the most complicated. She was the one who taught me how to make these.” She held up the bag with the remnants of their treat from the other night.

She tucked the bag of cookies into the purse she had laying on the counter before coming back to his side. “Ready?” He sighed, his good mood fading slightly. “As ready as I will ever be.” 

“Come on lambchop. It won’t be all bad. Besides, I know you. You love Sunday dinners with your family, no matter what is going on with the family business.” He laughed, knowing she was right. “Alright little Miss Know-It-All, let’s go.” Her bright laugh was enough to boost his spirits for the time being. He could only hope that dinner didn’t dampen it. 

*** 

When Jamie pulled up to the house in Bay Ridge, Eddie took a deep breath. She had been to a few more Sunday dinners since the Kent shooting, but she was still by no means a regular. For one thing, as a less than God fearing soul, she often found herself working Sundays or covering them for those who went to church regularly and or had family events like Jamie did. 

Today, however, she was free to join in and she was nervous, more for Jamie than herself. She had the feeling that Mass earlier had been a tense affair and she suspected that the tension would simmer at dinner, always ready to flare up if called upon. 

Jamie came around to her side of the car and held open her door, always the gentleman. She placed a kiss to his cheek after she slid out, then she straightened her skirt and followed him up the walk and around the house to the kitchen entrance. 

Once inside they found the kitchen acting as its usual hive of pre-dinner activity. Henry was seemingly in command of the chaos, but various other Reagans were scattered around to. Namely, Linda and Erin, who both greeted her and Jamie kindly. Linda always had a hug for Eddie and immediately pulled her into one as she got close before asking after her. Eddie exchanged the pleasantries and then laughed at the next statement. 

“We don’t see enough of you around here!” 

“Sorry Linda. Usually I work on Sundays, but my partner had a baptism today so we were off the hook. You know I love coming otherwise.” Jamie chuckled from beside her, “yeah because you love the food and the chance to toss your hat in the ring for the leftover roulette.” Linda and Erin both laughed as Eddie tossed an elbow at him. “Hey, it’s not my fault your family is chalk full of great cooks okay Reagan? The leftovers make a nice lunch to and require like zero effort from me! It’s a win-win!” 

Henry chuckled from his place near the stove, chiming in. “Oh let the girl alone Jameson. You fight just as hard for the leftovers some weeks.” Eddie stuck her tongue out at her boyfriend before moving to greet his grandfather, and thank him. She placed a kiss to his cheek, winking at Jamie who rolled his eyes. 

“Now, why don’t you all help get the table set and we will get this show on the road! Call in the boys Linda. Nicky and Francis are in the sun room Erin.” 

With his words, the chaos in the kitchen shifted and a few minutes later they were all sitting down around the table. Nicky and Frank came in from the sun room, the boys came in from the back yard with Danny and everyone settled around the table. Erin called back to check on Henry, who was still fussing in the kitchen as Frank told Jack to take his earbuds out. 

“You know when we were your age we actually listened to good music, but we didn’t do it all day long .” Nicky giggled beside Eddie, “how could, you would have to carry a record player around.” Eddie couldn’t help but bursting into laughter at that one, slapping Nicky a high five, even if she was among the people being called old. 

“Noo.” Danny began the protest and Erin picked up the torch, the two siblings for once in agreement. “We had cassette players.” Jamie and Eddie nodded along, though Eddie had more often used her Walkman than a cassette player. 

“What’s a cassette?” Sean reminded everyone at this table how old they were, earning a few chuckles and shakes of the head as someone tried to figure out how to explain it but, then Erin just bowed out. “Never mind.” 

Jamie chuckled on one side of her and Nicky chimed back in. “I think some music at the dinner would be nice! You know, in the background.” She winked at Eddie, no doubt remembering a few nights ago when they had eaten dinner exactly that way on her couch. Eddie tucked against Jamie on one side and Nicky the other, munching away on pizza and cookies. 

Jamie shot the both of them a smile that said he knew what they were thinking about and he was thinking it to, as Frank called for Henry. “Pop, how’s it coming?” The man in question arrived, carrying a platter with the roast and announcing its arrival. Frank then addressed his granddaughter. “Nicky I got nothing against listening to music during dinner but then see we would all have to agree on what to listen to.” 

“The time we all agree would be tomorrow morning.” Nicky shook her head, but many others nodded in agreement. Frank picked up the knife to cut into the meat his father had placed in front of him, only for Henry to tell him to let the roast sit for a minute before he cut into it. At his son’s protest Henry used the classic line. “Because I said so.” 

“Ahh, a classic line. Parents have used that one since the dawn of time.” Laughter ensued at her comment and Jamie squeezed her thigh. Nicky giggled on her other side, shooting a look at her own mother as if to say ‘yeah they do.’

“Wow, I haven’t gotten that one in years.” The laughter rose, and Henry chuckled, proud of himself. However, Jamie seemed unable to let the opportunity slide, “your still giving it out.” Eddie sighed as Frank’s attention shifted to his youngest. “What? Your modified assignment?” 

“Well, yeah.” Danny huffed. “Get used to it kid, it comes with the territory.” Linda, however, was confused. “What are we talking about here?” That surprised Eddie. She didn’t think Danny would have kept something like this from her, then again, she knew that Linda had been having a few problems with shop talk after everything that happened with her shooting. 

“Jamie got jammed up. His assignment is the equivalent of watching paint dry.” Eddie nodded at Danny’s comparison, but before she could say anything Frank put on the proverbial Commissioner hat. “I told you that assignment does not cross my desk.” 

“Fact remains that I’m jammed up, probably because of my last name, and the punishment is also worse because of my last name.” Eddie couldn’t deny that she thought he was right. According to Mandalo, the Guerra guy had practically been salivating that day when he realized Jamie was a Reagan. 

“Your dad had a taste of that same medicine when I was PC.” Henry tried to set a precedent but apparently her boy scout wasn’t feeling forgiving today. “All the more reason to correct it?” 

‘No, all the more reason to just bite that bullet. There’s an upside to being a cop named Reagan. So inevitably there is a downside.” Frank agreed profusely. “Yeah I mean do you really want to be explaining how you just happened to pull modified duty working the Ranger game at the Garden.”

“No but, …” Frank cut him off. “No buts.” Jamie sighed, but his father continued. He chose to move dinner forward, signaling this conversation was over. “Pop, the roast looks beautiful, but it would look better in slices on our plates.” 

“The juices need to be absorbed. Let’s say grace and then you can carve.” Everyone around the table folded their hands and she followed suit, though this portion of family dinner always served to add a bit of stress to her day. Grace had never really been a thing in her family, so it was an adjustment. Linda asked for a volunteer to say grace and to her surprise Jamie claimed it. 

“Lord thank you for making us all Reagans,” everyone started to smirk and Frank gave his son a look that was ignored as he pursued, even as Eddie let out a little cough. “Because here in New York that thy can bestow…” He trailed off with a little smirk that reminded her that her boyfriend wasn’t always a boy scout. 

“Alright.” 

It was a quiet acknowledgement, but hopefully enough to restore peace. For now Jamie seemed to give it to him, moving into the normal grace. “Bless us, oh lord, for these thine gifts which we are about to receive….” 

** 

“That was quite the shot you took there before grace lambchop.” The pair was doing the dishes, the boys and Nicky shuttling the dirty dishes into them and putting away the clean ones. Jamie shrugged. “Couldn’t just let it go. Not this time.” 

Eddie turned to him. “You feel better?” He shrugged. “A bit. You were right earlier. I do love being around my family, even when things in the, what did you call it? Family business, right. Even when things in the family business are rough.” She hip checked him lightly, earning another light chuckle. 

“No, but really. You going to be okay?” Jamie nodded. “Yeah, I’ve been using my free time to study for the Sargent’s exam. Maybe I’ll take it whenever they post one, after this whole thing hopefully blows over.” 

“Yeah?” 

“Yeah. It would be cool to train other officers, I mean, clearly I did alright with you.” Eddie huffed, flipping her hair over her shoulder. “Please, I was wonderful already, you just touched a few minor details.” His deep laugh was all the reassurance Eddie needed to know that Jamie would get through this. That he would be alright. 

As she turned back to the sink she caught sight of a body sneaking back toward the sun room. From the height alone she knew who it was. She hoped the Commissioner would do something to help Jamie’s case, but at the very least, she was sure that he knew what she had just been reassured of with that laugh. 

Eddie was distracted from the train of thought by two arms sneaking around her waist. “Hey Ed?” She looked at him through the window over the sink. “Yeah?” 

“Thanks for coming with me today.” She laughed. “You never have to thank me for that Jamie. It’s nice, having this. You know my family doesn’t, for obvious reasons, but we never really did. Family means a lot to you and I can appreciate that. Besides, they are all pretty great.” She winked at him, poking fun at his quip before grace. “God’s gift to New York,” she turned in his arms then, “and to me.” 

Her hands slid up his arms and looped around his neck, and he gifted her with an easy smile and a small kiss before he gently nudged her over and passed her a towel. “I’ll finish washing. You dry.” 

*** 

Jamie was once again standing in the DA’s office, waiting on the opposing counsel when she strode in with a paper in hand a pissed off expression on her face. “Congratulations.” Her co-council was confused, so she continued her little speech. “His family some strings.” Jamie felt his forehead wrinkle. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. 

“A Detective Danny Reagan happened to turn up a video from Reverend Potter’s office showing the officer protecting a mother and child from the bike rider.” 

Jamie stared at her, even as his union rep began to smirk up at the woman. “I told you that from the start.” Not that it seemed to matter to her. “The rider is getting out of the hospital later today and he’s not pressing charges.” 

His rep filed the paper, “I take it we are free to go?” 

The other lawyer just couldn’t let it go. “Funny how it always works out for the Reagans isn’t it.” Jamie huffed, gathering his own things, relief warring with the need to defend his family. Only another Reagan gets to take crap shots at Reagans, everyone else is off limits. 

“I went to law school to Counselor. I don’t really get your move here. If you think my family wields power this way, why would you be insulting us as you try to move up the ladder.” He let that little bomb drop and left the DA’s office feeling lighter than he had in over a week. 

As soon as he was outside, he thanked his union rep and texted his brother. 

J: Nice save. Beers on me later?

D: Anytime kid. Rain check, Linda’s doing dinner for the two of us and if I bail I’m a dead man walkin. 

Jamie chuckled and turned his attention to the other person he desperately wanted to see now. 

J: It’s all over. Danny saved the day. I think he deserves that cape your always going on about. 

E: Nah, it would just go to his head. 

J: LOL! Beers later? 

E: Full details and you got yourself a deal. 

J: Details, beers and darts at the usual place? 

E: My shift ends at 7!

*** 

The next morning Jamie once again found himself standing in the shadow of 1PP, heading to his post on the police barricade for another of Potter’s rallies. As he passed the man in question, the Reverend couldn’t just let him go quietly. 

“Officer Reagan! Back at it I see.” Jamie internally rolled his eyes at the man’s posturing, but simply quipped back. “Reverend you’ve got your job and I’ve got mine.” He shrugged at the guy, not really wanting to say more. 

“Give your father my regards.” Jamie let the cheap shot go and walked away. 

He found his partner waiting for him. “What was that about?” He chuckled, “Kind of a reverse salute I think.” As they took their posts the protest began anew, with the same line and the same man with a bullhorn. He smirked at Mandalo. “Here we go again.”


End file.
